Beta Beta — hiring neighbors on Papalocal is new; what you see here is real, and it's still growing.
Dog poop scooping Beta
Hire a neighbor to walk your yard and pick up after the dog, weekly or before a cookout, so the grass is ready to mow, play on and walk across.
- How often
- Weekly
- Where the work happens
- Outdoors
- Who it suits
- Often a good fit for a responsible teen
These open your Papalocal account. You'll be asked to log in or sign up first.
Dog poop scooping is exactly what it sounds like: someone walks every part of your yard, bags what the dog left behind, and drops it in your trash bin. Done once a week, the yard never reaches the point where nobody wants to mow or let the kids out.
Busy dog owners, homes with more than one large dog, and anyone getting ready to mow, host a cookout or show a house tend to want it. Owners who find bending over and walking uneven ground hard ask for it too.
A neighbor fits this job because it is short, close by and lands on the same day every week. Someone a few streets over can fit your yard in on the way home, and it is a common first paid job for a responsible teen whose parent is fine with it.
Also called: pooper scooper service, dog waste removal, pet waste cleanup, yard poop pickup, dog poop pickup service, backyard dog waste cleanup.
What's usually included
- Walking the whole yard in rows so nothing gets missed, including along fences and the edges of the deck
- Bagging the waste and tying each bag off
- Dropping the bags in your outdoor trash bin, or taking them away if you agree to that
- Closing the gate behind them and checking that it latched
- A quick note or photo when they finish, if you ask for one
- An extra visit before a party or a mowing day
What to ask before you hire
- Which day of the week works, and should the visit come before or after the lawn gets mowed?
- Will the dog be inside, crated or loose in the yard during the visit?
- How do they get into the yard: a gate code, a side gate left unlatched, or a key?
- Where do the bags go: your bin, or do they take them with them?
- What happens if it is pouring or the ground is frozen on their day, skip that week or come the next day?
- Are there spots to stay out of, like a garden bed, a pool area or a separate dog run?
Staying safe
- Wear gloves, and wash your hands well before you eat or touch your face.
- Never enter a yard with a dog you have not met with the owner first; if a dog is out when you did not expect it, back out and message the owner.
- Watch for holes the dog has dug, sprinkler heads and ant mounds as you walk.
- Re-latch every gate behind you, because a dog getting loose is the most serious thing that can go wrong on this job.
Dog poop scooping by town
Questions people ask
How often should a dog yard be scooped?
Weekly suits most homes with one or two dogs. Homes with several big dogs, or a small yard that gets heavy use, often go to twice a week.
Do I have to be home when the scooper comes?
No. Most owners leave a side gate unlatched or share a gate code and keep the dog inside during the visit. Settle it ahead of time so your neighbor is not guessing at the gate.
Is poop scooping a good job for a teenager?
It is simple, outdoors and quick, so it suits a teen well. The teen's parent should be on board and should know which yards they are visiting.
How do I find someone near me to scoop my yard?
Look for neighbors offering it on Papalocal and read the ratings other neighbors have left them. If nobody close by offers it yet, post a Need that describes your yard, your dogs and the day you would like.
Thinking of offering this yourself?
- You need a long-handled scooper or a rake-and-pan set, a roll of sturdy bags, gloves, and a way to rinse your tools at home.
- Walk each yard in a grid the same way every time; the people who keep customers are the ones who never leave a corner behind.
- Set your price per visit by yard size, number of dogs and how long the yard takes you, and price the first cleanup after a long gap on its own, since it is usually much bigger.
- Ask a few dog owners on your street what would feel fair for a weekly visit, and pick a price you can hold for a whole season.
- For weekly customers, keep the same day, send a short all-done message, and warn them ahead of time if you will miss a week.
- Rinse and disinfect your tools between yards so you are not carrying anything from one dog's yard into the next.
